The Politics of Escapism: Disney Parks and American Identity
The Politics of Escapism: Disney Parks and American Identity

Summary/Abstract: This review article critically examines Disney Parks and the Construction of American Identity: Tourism, Performance, Anxiety by Jennifer A. Kokai and Tom Robson (2024), a recent contribution to the Studies in Disney and Culture series. The authors explore how Disney theme parks perform and reinforce narratives of Americanness through spatial design, entertainment practices, and audience engagement. Drawing on autoethnography, performance studies, and cultural analysis, the book interrogates nationalism, consumerism, and the ideologies embedded in the parks' experiences. While the study offers valuable insights and a timely intervention into the cultural politics of themed entertainment, it occasionally suffers from methodological overreach and an uneven integration of personal narrative with analytical rigor. This review situates the book within current debates on spatial representation and national identity and suggests that a broader transnational perspective could further enrich its interpretive framework. Overall, Kokai and Robson's work is a provocative and multifaceted addition to the growing field of Disney studies.

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